Delaware Obituary Collection
(Obits and death notices from Various Funeral Homes in Delaware [with many Maryland obits that are associated with Delaware]).
Many obituaries from Dover and Rehoboth Beach.
Services for Frank M. Dalton, 80, of Dover were held Tuesday, Sept. 30, at Torbert Funeral Chapel, Dover. Mr. Dalton died Friday, Sept. 26, 2003, in Silver Lake Center in Dover.
He grew up there and was a three-sport athlete. Upon graduation from Princeton High School, he attended Roanoke Business College on a basketball scholarship.
Mr. Dalton entered the U.S. Navy in December 1942 and served meritoriously in the Pacific Theater, including during the invasion of Peleliu, until January 1946. He served on the ships USS Namakagon and USS PC 589.
He attained a bachelor’s degree from Concord College and a master’s degree from the University of West Virginia. He taught school in West Virginia, Maryland and Delaware, and retired from the Smyrna School District in 1983.
Mr. Dalton was a successful coach in football and basketball for 25 years. He was in a coaching fraternity that included Press Maravich, the father of Pete, and Fred Schaus, the coach of Jerry West. One of his proudest achievements was having coached Rod Thorn, now the president of the New Jersey Nets.
He was loyal to his family and friends. He will be missed for his sense of humor and his upbeat attitude about life.
Mr. Dalton was a 32nd-Degree Mason with a 50-year pin. He also served as a deacon at the First Christian Church in Princeton.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, V. Marie Bailey Dalton; three sons, Gary F. Dalton, Mark Dalton and Avery Dalton, all of Dover; a daughter, Vicky DiNetta of Middletown; a son-in-law, Louis DiNetta; and a daughter-in-law, Debra Dalton.
He also is survived by six grandchildren, Natalie Kilby, Allegra, Adam and Allyssa DiNetta, and Matthew and Andrew Dalton; and three great-grandchildren, Wesley Russum, and Eve and Aurora Kilby.
Burial with veteran’s honors will be in Pearl Harbor National Cemetery, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
William Konschak
Services for William Konschak, 96, of Dover were held Monday, Sept. 22, at Trader Funeral Home, Dover. Mr. Konschak died Sunday, Sept, 14, 2003, at Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital, Dover.
Mr. Konschak was born Jan. 17, 1907, in Philadelphia, son of the late John and Paula Zarbok Konschak.
He was a farmer and had a love for flower and vegetable gardening.
Mr. Konschak was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Dover, where he served in several positions in church leadership.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 69 years, Olga Konschak, who died Jan. 6, 2002; and by five brothers and three sisters.
He is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Robert “Bob” and Rhae Konschak of Dover; a daughter, Carol Gene Lohrmann of Dover; two sisters, Paula Bergmann of Philadelphia and Wanda Belinsky of South Carolina; a grandson, William Konschak of Baltimore; and a great-granddaughter, Madelyn Konschak of Baltimore.
Memorial services for Pauline Garrett, 76, of Dover were held recently in her hometown of Cleveland. Mrs. Garrett died Thursday, Sept. 25, 2003, at her home.
Mrs. Garrett was born Feb. 22, 1927, daughter of the late Horace and Jodie Sneed.
In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her son, James Garrett.
She is survived by three daughters and a son-in-law, Grace Harris of Dover, Shirley Jackson, and Anita and Larry Lawson of Cleveland; a brother, O’Neal Sneed of Cleveland; a sister, Nora Montgomery of Cleveland; nine grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and her special family and friends at Silver Lake Center.
Mary Agnes Ricketts Gerling
Services for Mary Agnes Ricketts Gerling, 82, of Dover were held Friday, Sept. 26, at Torbert Funeral Chapel, Dover. Mrs. Gerling died Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2003, at her home, surrounded by her loved ones.
Mrs. Gerling was born in Zanesville, Ohio, daughter of the late Jesse and Agnes McNally Ricketts.
She accompanied her U.S. Air Force-member husband on military assignments throughout the country and overseas. After retiring in Dover, they owned Oak Grove Trailer Park and R.S. Gerling Propane for 25 years.
Mrs. Gerling enjoyed her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, gardening, crossword puzzles, her pets and the Phillies.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, Richard S. Gerling.
She is survived by a daughter, Mary Ann Goodhand of Dover; four grandchildren, Michael Goodhand of Dover, David Goodhand of Washington, D.C., Linda Plessett of Philadelphia and Janet DiCintio of Reading, Pa.; four great-grandchildren, Allison, Eric, Jack and Christopher; and a niece, Joan Stewart of Dover.
Burial was in Sharon Hills Memorial Park, Dover.
Ellen Marie Mitchell
Services for Ellen Marie Mitchell, 87, of Dover were held Saturday, Sept. 27, at Pippin Funeral Home, Wyoming. Mrs. Mitchell died Thursday, Sept. 25, 2003, at Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital, Dover.
Mrs. Mitchell was born May 28, 1916, in Magnolia, one of five children of the late Fred and Ella Orvis Gray.
She enjoyed life as a homemaker and will always be remembered as a devoted, loving wife, mother and special grandmother.
She had an interest in bowling and a love and appreciation for flowers.
Mrs. Mitchell attended Faith Community Church, Dover, and was active in the ladies’ groups. In her daughter’s younger years, she was active in 4-H and Girl Scouts.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, William H. Mitchell, on Sept. 22, 1981.
She is survived by two daughters and their husbands, Elaine and William Lawrence and Elizabeth and Raymond Marvel, all of Dover; seven grandchildren and the spouses of five, Terri and Phil Perry of Hagerstown, Md., Jeff and Betsy Lawrence of Woodside, Kevin and Sara Lawrence and Katherine Marvel, all of Dover, Tracy and David Christianson of Wyoming, Raymond and Dianne Marvel of Johnsburg, Tenn., and Prudence Pierson of Hartly; a sister-in-law, Dorothea Gray of Wyoming; and 14 great-grandchildren.
Services for Marie K. Pearson, 60, of Felton were held Monday, Sept. 29, at Melvin Funeral Home, Harrington. Mrs. Pearson died Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2003, at her home surrounded by her loving family.
Mrs. Pearson was born in Milford, daughter of Irma Hrupsa of Felton and the late Charles Hrupsa.
She worked for the state of Delaware for more than 30 years as a secretary in field service for the Department of Transportation.
In her spare time, she enjoyed fishing, water rafting and traveling on weekend excursions, and liked to go to the mountains. She liked to take care of her family and was especially fond of her granddaughter, who was the light of her life. She enjoyed her job and working with her co-workers, and looked forward to going to work every day.
She was a good, loving wife, mother and grandmother who will be sorely missed.
In addition to her mother, she is survived by her husband of 39 years, Charles E. Pearson of Felton; a daughter, Ann M. Pearson of Felton; and a granddaughter, Jessica Pearson of Felton.
Joseph F. Pena, 91, of Dover died Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2003, at Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital, Dover.
Mr. Pena was born in Puerto Padre, Cuba, son of the late Pedro and Antonia Serrano Pena.
He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. He was a message specialist assigned to Central Europe, serving in the Ardennes, Normandy, northern France, Rhineland and Sicily campaigns. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, along with the Euro-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and the Good Conduct Medal.
Mr. Pena, upon his discharge from the military in October 1945, moved to New York, where he worked as a taxicab driver until his retirement. He moved from the Bronx, N.Y., to Dover in 1991.
He will be remembered for being a family man who enjoyed baseball and who had a passion for crossword puzzles.
Mr. Pena was active in community affairs; he had been a member of the Modern Maturity Center in Dover, where he participated in the Meals on Wheels program.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his three brothers.
He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Dolores C. Pena of Dover; a daughter, Diana Rosario; a son and daughter-in-law, Henry and Haydee Rosario; and a grandson, Christopher Rosario of Dover.
Burial was in the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Bear.
Timothy J. Robbins
Services for Timothy J. Robbins, 45, of Magnolia will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, at Torbert Funeral Chapel South, 1145 E. Lebanon Road, Dover, where friends may call two hours earlier. Mr. Robbins died Friday, Sept. 26, 2003, at his home, surrounded by his family.
Mr. Robbins was born Nov. 8, 1957, in Buffalo, N.Y.
He graduated from Holy Cross High School in Dover with the Class of 1975, and from Delaware Technical & Community College Terry Campus in Dover in 1977.
Mr. Robbins worked with the Kent County Engineers until 1981, with the Kent County Office of Planning until 1983 and up to the time of his death with Earl D. Smith Inc. as a professional surveyor. He received his Professional Land Surveyor license in May 1994.
Mr. Robbins was a member of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Dover, the Ruritan Club of Magnolia and the Delaware Association of Surveyors.
He is survived by his lifelong best friend and wife of two years, Stacey Fowler Robbins; his mother and stepfather, Theresa and Arnold Baker of Dover; his father and stepmother, Robert and Doris Robbins of Port Allegany, Pa.; a daughter, Cassandra “Cassie” Robbins of Magnolia; and two stepdaughters, Kelsey Angstadt of Charlotte, N.C., and Juliet Williams of Belews Creek, N.C., temporarily staying in Magnolia.
Mr. Robbins also is survived by three brothers and two sisters-in-law, Thom and Diane Robbins of Milford, Ted and Sally Robbins of Magnolia and Todd Robbins and his fiancée Mandy Ball, both of Frederica.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to the Fox Chase Cancer Center Institute of Advancement, 333 Cottman Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19111.
Burial will follow the service in the Barratt’s Chapel Cemetery, near Frederica.
Leroy ‘Tommy’ Singleton
Services for Leroy “Tommy” Singleton, 58, of Dover were held Monday, Sept. 29, at Torbert Funeral Chapel, Dover. Mr. Singleton died Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2003, at his home.
Mr. Singleton was born June 22, 1945, in Dover, son of the late Leroy and Ruth C. Williams Singleton.
He retired in 1985 after 20 years working in the maintenance department of Billington’s Inc.
He enjoyed bowling and umpiring Little League baseball teams. He was an avid fan of the Philadelphia Phillies.
Mr. Singleton was a lifelong resident of the Dover area and was a member of the First Baptist Church of Dover. He was a past member of the Camden-Wyoming Fire Co. and the Camden-Wyoming Moose Lodge.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Arthur Singleton.
He is survived by his wife of 23 years, Melanie Rond Singleton of Dover; two cousins and their spouses, Wayne and Sharon Bevins of Camden and Kim and Marty Rockford of Dover; and special friends, Ron and Cheryl Diem and their daughter Deanna, James and Carmen Decker and their sons Billy and Gary, all of Dover, and Sylvia Maxey and her grandson James, both of Dover.
Burial was in the Barratt’s Chapel Cemetery, near Frederica.
Ward Steven ‘Polkie’ Smith
Services for Ward Steven “Polkie” Smith, 44, of Felton will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, in Metropolitan United Methodist Church, 109 West St., Harrington, where friends may call two hours earlier. Mr. Smith died Sunday, Sept. 28, 2003, in Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital, Dover.
Mr. Smith was born in Milford, son of George Francis Polk and Laura Beatrice Russ Smith.
He was a graduate of Lake Forest High School, Felton, where he excelled as a football player.
While in high school, Mr. Smith went to work with his father, grooming horses at the Harrington racetrack. After graduation, he became a trainer and groomer, working for his father as well as racehorse owners Buddy Bright, Eddie Davis and Ernie Talbort.
He was a devoted Baltimore Colts fan and continued following them after their move to Indianapolis. He followed NASCAR racing, and his favorite driver was Jeff Gordon. He loved yardwork and gardening, especially around church and his home.
Mr. Smith enjoyed cooking and cleaning around the house, loved to spend time with his family and especially enjoyed being a mentor to his nieces and nephews.
Mr. Smith was a member of Philadelphia Pentecostal Holiness Church, Ellendale, where he spent this past summer helping church members build an addition.
In addition to his parents, he is survived by 12 sisters, Gladys E. Russ and Angela C. Smith, both of Harrington, Susan Smith-Blackwell, Laura Frances Smith and Christina Scott, all of Dover, Jackie Goodwin, Carolyn Grant and Karen “Kaye” Gibbs, all of Bridgeville, Deborah “Debbie” Marton of Seaford, Kimberly Johnson of Lincoln, Lisa Sylvain of Denton, Md., and Jorja Polk-Ridgeway of Milford.
He also is survived by two brothers, Ralph Collie of Bridgeville and George Polk Jr. of Dover; his fiancée, Glenda E. Pearsall of Felton; three aunts, Margaret Ann Russ of Harrington; Wardella Anderson of Milford and Bessie C. Russ of Felton; three uncles, Clarence Rainey of Milford, James Anderson of Harrington and Samuel Marion of Felton; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
